Good afternoon,
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, Mr. Mayor,
Veterans, servicemen and women,
Esteemed guests,
First of all: thank you, Ambassador Popolo, for offering me the opportunity to join you in the commemoration of the events on nine eleven.
The Netherlands and the United States are separated by an ocean and several time zones, but every Dutch national who’s old enough will remember where they were when nine eleven happened.
After the Cold War ended, the American political scientist Fukuyama argued that Western liberal democracy had no real ideological competition.
But his prediction of ‘the end of history’ was shattered in one day.
To so many of us, nine eleven meant the comeback of history.
A history with unknown chapters.
At the time, I was a student in Amsterdam, writing a paper at home when my phone rang.
It was my mom, who was barely able to say that I had to turn on the TV.
I did, and immediately understood why my otherwise well-spoken mother could find no words to explain what I would see.
I generally have a ‘Pollyanna’ attitude in life, being stubbornly optimistic… but on nine eleven, the world looked very dark to me.
Like everyone, I felt shocked and scared.
This is what terrorism does.
It ends what we knew as a safe and normal world, and it shocks us into uncertainty and fear.
But the American people showed us, in the following days and weeks, that no terrorist could ever break the American spirit.
I saw a picture of president George W. Bush, standing among the rubble of Ground Zero; he looked defiant, resilient, determined.
His left arm was wrapped around a rescue worker’s shoulders.
That man was Bob Beckwith, a firefighter who was sixty-nine years old at the time.
Although retired since 1994, he didn’t hesitate to head to the Twin Towers to help in the search for survivors.
That image is a symbol of what makes America – what makes any nation – strong, no matter what happens: a strong leader flanked by brave men and women.
Men and women who will run towards danger when others run from it.
The Armed Forces of NATO countries did the same when, for the first time in NATO’s history, Article 5 was invoked.
The Netherlands was one of those countries.
Every Dutch service member knows that we are free today only because American troops helped liberate our country over 80 years ago.
Americans who often had European ancestors – and these grandchildren of Europe became our brothers and sisters in arms when we were in danger.
Your call to action was our moment to let you know that we are here for you, as a loyal ally.
Over 29,000 Dutch service members served alongside Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, over a timespan of almost 20 years.
Those missions are in the DNA of many serving in our Armed Forces.
As Minister of Defence, I am committed to making sure that we stand by you in the fight for freedom.
We stand by you in times of incredible pain, such as the events of 25 years ago; we stand by you in times of joy, like the recent celebration of your nation’s 250th anniversary.
We stand united against Russian aggression.
And we will always remember what we stand for: freedom, firm in the knowledge that freedom has to be fought for, every day; by strong leaders, loyal allies and our dedicated servicemen and women.
Dear allies, friends,
Once again I want to say that I am honoured to join you in this important commemoration.
On this day, we think about the fallen and their grief-stricken families, friends and colleagues; we think of the first responders, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
We think of that moment when history came back into our lives; a history where many chapters are still unknown.
You can be sure that we will be writing those chapters together.
Thank you.